With the new year upon us, many are thinking about making New Year’s Resolutions. What exactly is a resolution and why are they so important? According to Webster’s Dictionary, resolution comes from the verb resolve meaning: to make a definite and serious decision to do something. This is no light-hearted, passing emotion. This is a serious commitment to act!

Are you thinking about making a healthy resolution this year? Maybe you want to make a commitment to eat better overall. Maybe you want to lose X number of pounds or gain X number of pounds. Maybe you want to finally stop feeling fatigued all the time or you want to get more sleep. Whatever your goal, it is noble and good for you to want to better your health.

But what if you’ve made this goal before? What if you weren’t able to follow-through? Many people think they don’t follow-through with their goals because they lack motivation or they somehow “lost” their motivation.

Have you ever finished a grade in school? Have you ever raised kids and put them through college? Have you ever made plans to meet a friend for lunch and shown up when and where you promised? What if following through on your goals or promises has nothing to do with motivation? Motivation is all about how you feel at a particular moment. What if follow-through has nothing to do with how you are feeling at any time?

When you met your friend for lunch, it happened because you gave your word. When you did the grocery shopping, it happened because you decided to do it, you made a list, you planned to drive to the store after work, and you made it happen. You were resolved. Your commitment becomes your motivation causing action regardless of how “motivated” you feel.

When you decide to do something and then do it, your subconscious mind files it as a success and it contributes to your self-confidence and self-trust. When you make a decision to do something and then fail to do it, your sub-conscious mind files it as a failure. This failure eats away at your self-confidence and your sense of self-trust. Every time you break a promise to yourself, your self-trust erodes just a little more. It’s just the same as if someone else in your life continually breaks promises. You learn not to trust them. You learn to not expect them to follow-through. In fact, you begin to expect them to not deliver on a commitment.

So what if your self-trust has been eroded by breaking big and small commitments to yourself? What if it is so eroded that you immediately roll your eyes at yourself as soon as you make a commitment to better health. While you’re taking a drag from your cigarette, you’re saying to yourself, “I knew you wouldn’t be able to do it. You have no willpower!”

Rebuilding Self-Trust

First, I recommend taking baby steps. Make a list every day of 5 small things you want to accomplish. Start with things you would do anyway like taking out the garbage, making breakfast or doing a load of laundry. As you start checking off these small tasks, your subconscious mind will start filing them away as successes. You’ll start looking forward to checking off the tasks as each one will gives you a small boost in confidence. As you rebuild your self trust, you’ll start adding more ambitious tasks like going to bed on time, turning off the t.v. after one hour of viewing, enjoying 4 servings of vegetables, drinking 6 glasses of water. Keeping promises to yourself is not about seeking perfection. It’s about trusting yourself to not be overcome by failures; to get up again when you fall.

Second, limit your time with people who erode your self-trust. These are naysayers who probably don’t trust themselves either. These people like to chip away at your self-esteem and undermine your confidence. They point to your past deficiencies as proof of your inability to succeed. Ask yourself, “Does he support my goals? Does she encourage me to do better?” Avoid those who do not.

Third, work on changing your self-talk. Everyone has those Mean Voices inside their heads. Your head is a dangerous neighborhood. Don’t go up there alone! Make a conscious decision to change your self-talk from self-sabotage to self-love. When you fail to keep a promise to yourself and start to think things like, “You’re such a failure. You can’t follow-through on anything!” catch yourself and replace the negative thought with a positive one like, “It was just a small slip-up. I’ll do better next time” or “That was a big mistake. I’ll learn from it and I love myself anyway.”

Cynthia Wall, psychotherapist and author of The Courage to Trust: A Guide to Building Deep and Lasting Relationships, says, “Trust is the heartbeat of every significant relationship, with yourself as well as with others. In fact, the relationship with yourself is the foundation of all other relationships.” Learning to forgive yourself when you make a mistake makes it easier to forgive others. This has amazing health benefits for your own stress reduction too.

When you start building your self-trust back up again, you can begin to tackle those big, hairy, audacious goals (BHAG). Make sure to break up each goal into a set of smaller, easy-to-measure daily or weekly goals. This way even if you haven’t met your ultimate goal yet, you can check off your successes knowing that each small success is bringing you one step closer to your big success. One step closer to your fulfilling your resolution.

From Me to You – I noticed a big difference in my Energy levels and Happiness/Harmony after drinking atleast 33 oz. of Electrolyte-Infused Water

Electrolyte-Infused Water: Is It Worth It? (Plus How to DIY)

Lately, I’ve been a little obsessed with electrolyte-enhanced water. The other day, there was a sale at the store–10 bottles for $10–and my eyes did that whirly jackpot thing, cartoon character-style. What’s going on here?

Water with electrolytes isn’t exactly new–it flowed (heh) into the mainstream bottled-water scene about five years ago, and now you can find it on shelves in just about every grocery store. Electrolyte-enhanced waters have things like potassium and sodium added to them, which help your body absorb the water more quickly. These electrolytes are helpful in preventing dehydration, so they’re especially useful during and after intense workouts. But filtered tap water is A-OK for shorter workouts and day-to-day hydration.

Of course, doing it yourself won’t be exactly like the stuff on the shelves–brands like SmartWater, for example, are also “vapor-distilled,” and most brands are also flavorless–but as someone who’s shelled out more than she probably needs to on bottles to drink post-workout, I love having these cheaper options at the ready.

Do you drink electrolyte-enhanced water–or just go for the regular stuff? Are you a sportsdrink fan?

This is an essential part of any chiropractic home care. It is simple and easy to use. Designed by experts in the field of spinal correction, it drastically reduces the time it takes to restore healthy cervical curvature and takes only minutes to maintain it.

New: Padded door stop. No more damaged doors.

Instructions:
1. Perform cervical warm-up, joint lubrication, and cartilagenourishment exercises (twist, flex and extend head/neck).
2. Adjust the connection so that the curved piece hangs slightly lower than the back of the head.
3. Pull handles down until stopped by curved neck piece with handles at shoulder height. Elbows and knees are against the wall, and feet are shoulder-width apart.
4. Place curved piece behind neck and padded handle under chin or on forehead. Place one hand on each handle end, with palms toward face.
5. Hold handles firmly; relax the knees so some body weight is supported by the traction. Traction is applied and controlled by bending the knees.
6. Begin with 10 and work up to 60 repetitions per session.
7. Add deep diaphragmatic breathing with traction, then exhale completely and forcibly when the traction is released.
8. Ice the neck for 10 minutes if any pain is experienced.
NOTE: Loop rope through strap. Place Door Stop over door and close door.

For maximum results, your Maximized Living Health Care Professional my recommend using this item along with other items in the Home Care Kit.

(get off Anti-Depression Drugs and other medications)

when y0u follow the 5 Essentials

(Detox, Natural Nutrician Food Plans, Chiropractic Care)

Without any of these Essentials, you are unable to live a long, healthy and fulfilled life that you are meant to live. Each of these Essentials work together to keep your cells in optimal shape and your body functioning at its highest levels. If you only focus on one of these essentials, such as exercise, you are leaving out other core elements that keep your body healthy.

While each of the 5 Essentials may make sense to you at a high level, there are many things that you may not know. Get to know each of the following essentials and understand how they all work together and need to be practiced from the moment you wake up until the time you go to sleep each night.

Essential 1: Maximized Mind

A Maximized Mind encompasses areas such as time and stress management, improving your relationships with others, and making sure that you get adequate amounts of sleep. Working on all of these area’s help to improve a negative attitude and help your overall peace and well-being from within yourself. The right, renewed mindset about life and health are necessary in order to commit to following any lifestyle plan.

Essential 2: Maximized Nerve Supply

Nerve supply is the life supply to all cells, organs, and systems in the body and so is responsible for all function and healing. Improper spinal alignment is common and likely to happen due to the amount of physical, emotional, and chemical stress you apply to your body every day so must be addressed as the foundational part of living at your health potential.

Essential 3: Maximized Quality Nutrition

What you put into your body affects how you feel each and every day. Food is the fuel that your body needs to continue to power and heal itself on a daily basis. Diets that are high in carbohydrates, have pH or omega-3 imbalances or are nutrient deficient, have negative effects not only on your body, but can create a lot of symptoms such as depression, brain fog, stress and fatigue.

Essential 4: Maximized Oxygen and Lean Muscle

Exercise allows your body to take in higher levels of oxygen and creates lean muscle that keeps both your body and mind healthy. Studies have shown that exercise consistently match or exceed the benefits of antidepressants. This is your opportunity to decrease fat and increase lean muscle tissue.

Essential 5: Minimized Toxins

Toxins and chemicals surround us in our everyday lives and are included in items such as medications, refined foods, household cleaners and the items we cook with! Each of these toxins affect our bodies in a negative way and inhibit us from functioning at optimal levels.

If you are in need of Healing Physically, Emotionally or Spiritually energy wise Check out Energy Healer Callie Amiday in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Artifex Manuum Spa & Gallery.

Recently I had Healing Energy work done on me at Artifex by Callie Amiday. It was amazing and she is amazing. It opened me up to large amounts of healing energy, I feel like my energy has ben transformed and my vibrations have been ramped up since the session.

Each day since the session I have been feeling slight changes in my energy.

Anyone reading this should see Callie and have Healing Energy work done by her you will benefit from it, I did! Thanks and much love to Callie!

b: the capacity of acting or being activec: a usually positive spiritual force <the energy flowing through all people

2

: vigorous exertion of power

3

: a fundamental entity of nature that is transferred between parts of a system in the production of physical change within the system and usually regarded as the capacity for doing work

4

: usable power (as heat or electricity); also: the resources for producing such power

Everything in the universe is made of energy
We learned way back in elementary school that every thing in the universe is made up of atoms. But what are atoms? Atoms are mostly empty space. In elementary school we learned that protons and neutrons make up the center of the atom which is called the nucleus. Orbiting the the nucleus are electrons.

Drawn to scale. If the protons and neutrons were a centimeter in diameter. The electrons would be less than the diameter of a hair. The entire atom’s diameter would be greater than the length of 30 football fields!
Another mental picture. If an atom were as large as a football stadium, the nucleus would be the size of a small ladybug crawling across the 50-yard line. In spite of this size difference, virtually all of the mass of an atom is concentrated in its nucleus. One electron, which has a negative charge, weighs only 1/1836 as much as the lightest of all nuclei, that of the hydrogen atom (proton). What is between the nucleus and the electrons? Empty Space! Therefore most of the universe it empty space. Actual physical matter is only a fraction of the universe.

The rest is energy in other forms both within our capacity to comprehend as well as outside of it. These other forms are, light, thought, vibration, and feeling to name a few.

Artiflex Manuum Spa:

Artifex Manuum Spa and Gallery (art-ee-fex man-u-um), meaning “Artistic Hands” in Latin, is a collective group of body workers, healers, artists, and crafters that have joined forces to create a combined massage spa and art gallery located in Uptown Minneapolis in the Twin Cities, offering an array of spa services, packages and treatments that include the following:

The NaturalCures writing team is working extremely hard to bring you a special food issue of our monthly printed newsletter – due out in April. Focusing on the foods you should be avoiding, as well as the deliciously healthy grocery items you should be adding to your diet, the upcoming issue is a must-read! So what better time to bring you an extract from nutritionist Dave Reavely’s book The Big Fat Mystery. With kind permission from John Blake Publishing, we’re bringing you this snippet on how hidden food intolerances may be sabotaging your efforts to lose weight. Read on…

Gluten intolerance

People who are allergic to gluten are referred to as coeliac and suffer from celiac disease. However, as I explained in earlier, an allergy is very different to intolerance. Someone who suffers from celiac disease will react very quickly to a small amount of gluten. Conversely, someone who has intolerance to gluten may not even notice any problems until hours or even a day later. In fact, over the years I soon learned that there are many different shades of gluten intolerance. For instance, some sufferers may be able to eat bread and/or pasta for, let’s say two days; but by day three it begins to adversely affect them. Unfortunately, most G.P.’s are not aware of this situation since they have only been trained to focus upon gluten allergy.

How a gluten sensitivity can affect you

Once an individual becomes sensitive to gluten the body regards it as a toxin. As already stated, if you are allergic to gluten the body reacts to the toxin more quickly compared to a gluten intolerance. However, in both cases I believe that gluten causes damage to the digestive system. This damage includes inflammation and irritation, particularly to the lining of the small intestine. Since many nutrients are absorbed through the small intestine, it’s easy to see why a gluten allergy or intolerance can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Moreover, my experience in dealing with many gluten sensitive people over the years has led me to conclude that an inability to lose excess weight is often related to the adverse affect that gluten can have on the body’s metabolism.

In the beginning, I used to think that the effects of gluten were confined to the digestive system. This proved to be very far from the truth. In fact, over the years, I soon realised that the effects of a gluten sensitivity can manifest themselves in any part of the body, including the following:

* Skin problems

* Arthritis

* Menstrual problems

* Weight gain

* Depression

* Poor attention span

* Headaches

* Migraines

* Fatigue

* Drowsiness

* Mouth ulcers

* Constipation

* IBS – irritable bowel syndrome

* Flatulence and bloating

* Indigestion

* Acid reflux

* Stomach pain

* Recurrent infections

* Mucus congestion, including sinus problems

Incredibly, this list is far from being exhaustive and I am continuously encountering new health conditions that respond to a diet free of gluten.

Avoiding gluten

As I explained in the previous chapter, gluten is a type of protein which is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. So you must avoid these foods and any products made from them. The following is a list of foods that contain gluten:

* Bread

* Rye bread and pumpernickel

* Spelt

* Barley

* Oats

* Alcoholic beverages – beers and some spirits such as grain-based vodka

* Biscuits and cookies

* Pretzels

* Muffins

* Pastry

* Scones

* Cous cous

* Durhum wheat

* Pasta, macaroni, spaghetti

* Noodles

* Pizza

* Foods covered in breadcrumbs – e.g. chicken nuggets, fish fingers

* Bulgar wheat

* Wheat, oat or rye crispbreads

* Yorkshire puddings

* Pancakes

* Semolina

* Stuffings

* Rusk

* Wheat based breakfast cereals, or cereals that include wheat

* Malt or malt extract

* Soy sauce

* Modified wheat starch

* Wheatgerm

* Malt vinegar

Foods that may contain hidden gluten

* Liquorice

* Confectionary – some chocolate, candy, etc

* Stock-cubes

* Curry powder

* Sauces/mixes

* Gravy powder

* Chips/fries – some may have a wheat coating

* Sausages

* Soups – some include the likes of wheat flour as a thickener

* Crisps – some include wheat or modified wheat starch

* Mustard powder

The good news!

Having looked at the foregoing list you could be forgiven for asking the question: “What on earth can I eat?” Well, the good news is that there are gluten-free alternatives for many of the items listed. For example, you can purchase gluten-free gravy mix, stock-cubes, gluten-free sausages, pasta, biscuits, cereals and flour. The other day I even came across some gluten-free beer in a major supermarket. The range of products is constantly growing, which is good for the gluten-sensitive consumer.

For those who wish to bake their own gluten-free products there are a number of flour substitutes now available. The all-purpose type is usually made from a combination of potato, rice, maize and buckwheat flours. Some manufacturers offer a choice between brown or white gluten-free flour. The brown version is nutritionally superior because it contains fibre, as well as more vitamins and minerals.

Types of individual flour

* Rice flour has quite a bland taste but it is an all-purpose flour that can be used to make bread or other bakery products. It can also be used as a thickener.

* Chickpea flour is sometimes referred to as gram flour. It is commonly used in Asian cookery, for example to make poppadoms.

* Potato flour has fine texture. It can help to introduce moisture to the likes of bread.

* Cornflour is sometimes mixed with other flours to provide a smooth texture

* Soy flour has a strong taste, but can be used sparingly when mixed with other flours. Like potato flour it adds moisture to baked goods.

* Amaranth is made from a grain of the same name and is often added to other flours

* Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a South-American grain that can be used to make baked products.

* Buckwheat flour, despite the name, is not related to wheat. It is sometimes used to make pancakes, which are popular in the USA.

Gluten-free foods

In addition to the gluten-free products already listed, there are also many other foods that are naturally free from gluten. These include: meat, fish, dairy products, nuts and seeds (providing they’re not processed), pulses (such as beans, peas and lentils), eggs and fruits and vegetables.

Label watch

Because gluten is added to so many products it is really important to get into the habit of reading the list of ingredients on cans and packets. Look out for any of the ingredients in the foregoing lists; for example, modified wheat starch, or malt extract. Don’t worry, you’ll soon get used to knowing which products to avoid! Many products have allergy advice on their labels and state clearly whether they’re gluten-free.

IMPORTANT!

In my view, in order to succeed on a gluten-free diet, it’s very important to adopt the correct mental approach. The person who dwells on the foods that they can’t have, are the ones who inevitably falter and fall by the wayside. Conversely, those people who focus upon the wide range of foods that they can have, will usually stick to their new lifestyle and ultimately reap the rewards of improved health and often much improved weight regulation.

A big thank you to Dave and his publishers for kindly supplying this piece for the blog – keep your eyes peeled for more of the same.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our upcoming newsletter, which will be available to download (members only) during April by clicking here. Would you like to receive the letter? Become a member of the site for as little as $9.95 and enjoy the many perks membership brings.

Remember to always consult a licensed healthcare practitioner before embarking on any treatment, it’s your health and it’s IMPORTANT. www.naturalcures.com/disclaimer

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Referred to as the ‘Food Detective’, Dave Reavely acquired this title because of his involvement in helping to detect clients’ food intolerances in addition to an ability to isolate how an individual’s diet and lifestyle may be contributing towards their health condition. A former PE Teacher, Dave has always been aware of the importance of exercise and nutrition having overcome a number of health problems from his early youth. When it came to food sensitivities, he had to learn the hard way, as he was intolerant to many foods from his early teens. Dave has worked as a Nutritonal Advisor from the year 2000, but gained his diploma in nutritional medicine with the well recognised Plaskett Nutritional Medicine College (now merged with Thames Valley University) in 2006. Dave is also the Nutritional Advisor to Jamie Johnson, one of the UK’s first female professional boxers, world title contender in the USA and recently inducted into The Madison Square Gardens Hall Of Fame. Her talent was spotted by Joe Frasier, and she sparred with Joe’s daughter, Jacqui, and also Mohammed Ali’s daughter, Leila Ali, both boxing title holders in the USA. Jamie maintains that good nutrition has played a huge part of her success. Dave is the author of the following books: The Natural Athlete – 2003 The Cool Kids Guide to Healthy Eating – 2006 The Big Fat Mystery – How food intolerances can sabotage your efforts to lose weight – Metro books, 2008 Healthy Eating and Pollution protection for Kids – A Parent’s Guide – O Books, 2011 Dave is listed as a nutritional expert by BBC Radio Kent and BBC South-east TV Freelance writer for Running Fitness Magazine http://www.fooddetective.co.uk/